Fabregas: We reacted well

news
Sun 24 Aug 2014

Cesc Fabregas discussed contrasting halves of football as he looked back on his home debut and his second Chelsea win.

The two goals that beat Leicester City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon came after half-time and speaking following the game, the Spanish midfielder said it had needed a big improvement during the match to break down last season’s top side from the Championship.

‘The first half we were definitely not at our best at all and we realised that the way we played wouldn’t win the game, maybe we would even lose it,’ Fabregas said. ‘So we just had to wake up, push higher up the pitch and play with a little more intensity and get more second balls. That is what we did and finally we got a deserved win.

‘We started sloppy and we suffered a little bit from counter-attacks against us and we didn’t feel comfortable at all, so we needed a kind of wake-up call from the coach.

‘We were not winning any second balls and it felt sometimes that Leicester were more up for it than us and that is not acceptable, as we want to try to win every single game and these points at the beginning are very important.

‘We reacted very well and we started pressing higher and higher and getting more second balls in the second half, getting into their box and getting chances.’

Fabregas revealed there was talk between the players at the interval, as well as from Jose Mourinho, in order to put matters right. With his early performances on the pitch catching the eye, he confirmed he is settling into the dressing room well.

‘There is a good team, technically gifted and physically strong, a great balance and a lot of winning mentality and I’m feeling comfortable. Everyone mixed with me really well and I am feeling good.

‘There is a lot of competition too and we have a great bench as well and we are really excited about the season with so many games, so many competitions and we are really up for it.

‘The Premier League has changed a little bit since I was first here. I feel technically it has improved.

‘The teams are better organised, the balance is much better and from tactical point of view they have improved much more than when I was first here. I am happy to see the evolution and I am sure it will be a very difficult league to win.’